When Aarti and Himesh Mehta (names changed) decided to adopt after eight long years of childlessness, they didn’t know the wait for a child would be longer. After a few adoption agencies gave them the disappointing news that it could take two years before a child would be available for them, they registered at a local agency where the waiting list of parents wasn’t as long.

That was May last year. But the Mehtas are yet to be shown a baby they can take home.

“The child will be our support; our reason to live. The wait is difficult,” said 36-year-old Himesh.

Theirs is not an unusual story.

Five years ago, adoption agencies in the city were having a hard time finding families for children. Now, it’s the other way round. There are almost 500 couples on the waiting lists of the 14 authorised adoption agencies but less than 150 children who are legally free for adoption.

As a result, it can take anywhere between six months to 1.5 years before you take a child home. Those who register at popular adoption agencies like Shradhanand Mahilashram, Matunga and Vatsalya Trust, Kanjur Marg, have to wait for at least two-three years.

"here’s no need to promote adoption in Mumbai anymore. So many parents are coming forward for adoption that we don’t have enough children,” said senior social worker Vandana Patil of Adoption Coordinating Agency.

It’s no surprise that Mumbai is now called the ‘Adoption Capital’. “There were 400 adoptions in Mumbai last year,” said Patil.

At Bal Asha Trust in Mahalaxmi, there were over 100 enquiries in the last six months.

“Media attention and education has made adoption much more popular. So many people call or come to the centre that we can’t handle all queries,” said administrator Sunil Arora.

And, it’s not just couples who have been unsuccessful in having biological children who want to adopt.

Over 25 per cent of those registered with agencies, want to adopt simply because they want to provide a home to a child, according to Patil.

Now every child finds a home. Those who are not adopted by Indians or non-resident Indian families, are readily accepted by foreigners.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Denmark on Monday suspended all adoptions from India after a news report claimed that some of the children who have been adopted in the Scandinavian country could have been abducted. I am concerned about the conditions that have surfaced,» said Carina Christensen, the consumer and family affairs minister.

Denmark temporarily suspended all adoption from India until we feel totally safe that the adoptions from India can be made in a reassuring way. Christensen also ordered Danish authorities to investigate AC International Child Support, one of Denmark's two government-approved adoption agencies. The organization, known as AC, was accused in a DR1 television documentary of having received children from an orphange in western Indian city of Pune without the birth parents' approval.In the documentary that was broadcast Sunday, Ramesh Kulkarne claimed he temporarily placed his two children at Preet Mandir orphanage while finding a job after his wife died. Kulkarne told DR1 that he for years was barred from seeing his children at the orphanage. In April, Kulkarni learned that the pair had been adopted in Denmark in 2003 through AC International Child Support.

If the Indian authorities' investigation show that Ramesh Kulkarne wrongfully had his children taken away from him, it is a very tragic case and a big tragedy,» AC board chairman Anders Christensen said. We expect the Indian authorities will pursue the case and find out whether a crime has been committed in connection with the legalization of the (adoption) documents,» he added. The western Denmark-based agency said it had stopped cooperating with Preet Mandir in June 2003 after repeated rumors about the agency's management's use of unethical methods. Over the years, AC had found homes for 26 children from Preet Mandir. It was unclear when AC started cooperating with Preet Mandir.

The documentary showed the orphanage manager, J. Bhasin, filmed with a hidden camera by DR1 and saying a child cost $7,000 (¤5,245). Indian adoption authorities have a maximum $3,500 (¤2,622) to be paid by per case, covering orphanage and caring costs and paperwork in connection with the adoption, according to AC. Children that are adopted to Denmark cannot be bought for money,» Christensen said. That is in violation of international rules.

The DR1 channel said Indian authorities earlier had investigated child trafficking allegations against Preet Mandir.The broadcast did not indicate that DR1 had sought comment from India's adoption authorities, the Central Adoption Resource Agency _ called CARA _ or from the orphanage. Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Preet Mandir and CARA after office hours failed. The suspension of Indian adoption also affected Danadopt, Denmark's second adoption agency, which has not cooperated with Preet Mandir.

In 2006, 514 children born abroad were adopted in Denmark, of whom 34 were born in India.